Hibiscus plant named ‘YOHIB 2136’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Hibiscus  plant named ‘YOHIB 2136’, characterized by its compact, upright, outwardly spreading, uniform, dense and symmetrical plant habit that is appropriate for container production; glossy, palmately-lobed and dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; white and pink bi-colored flowers with dark red-colored centers; good resistance to flower bud abscission during shipping; and tolerance to pathogens common to  Hibiscus  grown under Florida production conditions.

Botanical designation: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘YOHIB 2136’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus, botanically known as Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘YOHIB 2136’.

The new Hibiscus is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Alva, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching Hibiscus cultivars with a dense, uniform and compact plant habit appropriate for container production, early and uniform flowering, numerous flowers per lateral branch, desirable flower color and good postproduction longevity.

The new Hibiscus originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Alva, Fla. in early 1997, of a proprietary Hibiscus rosa-sinensis selection, designated as code number YB-1657, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Hibiscus rosa-sinensis selection, designated as code number YB-1589, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar YOHIB 2136 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla., on Oct. 21, 1998.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hibiscus by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since February, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Hibiscus are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar YOHIB 2136 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘YOHIB 2136’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘YOHIB 2136’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading, uniform, dense and symmetrical         plant habit that is appropriate for container production.     -   2. Glossy, palmately-lobed and dark green-colored leaves.     -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   4. White and pink bi-colored flowers with dark red-colored         centers.     -   5. Good resistance to flower bud abscission during shipping.     -   6. Tolerant to pathogens common to Hibiscus grown under Florida         production conditions.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the female parent, the proprietary Hibiscus selection code number YB-1657. Plants of the new Hibiscus differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus are more vigorous than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus and the female parent selection         differ in flower coloration as plants of the female parent         selection have a narrow white-colored margin.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the male parent, the proprietary Hibiscus selection code number YB-1589. Plants of the new Hibiscus differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus are more vigorous than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus have palmately-lobed leaves         whereas plants of the male parent selection have non-lobed         leaves.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Hibiscus have imbricate petals         whereas flowers of plants of the male parent selection do not         have overlapping petals.     -   4. Plants of the new Hibiscus and the male parent selection         differ in flower coloration as plants of the male parent         selection have pink-colored flowers with burgundy-colored         centers.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the Hibiscus cultivar Whirl Wind, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,796. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Hibiscus differed from plants of the cultivar Whirl Wind in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus were more vigorous than plants of         the cultivar Whirl Wind.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Hibiscus had imbricate petals         whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Whirl Wind did not         have overlapping petals.     -   3. Plants of the new Hibiscus and the cultivar Whirl Wind         differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Whirl Wind         had narrow white-colored margins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Hibiscus, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hibiscus.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of five typical flowering plants of ‘YOHIB 2136’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘YOHIB 2136’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Alva, Fla., with five plants per 16.5-cm container in polyethylene-covered greenhouses during the late summer under conditions which closely approximate commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16 to 37° C. and night temperatures ranged from 13 to 26° C. Plants were about four months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivar YOHIB     2136. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Proprietary selection of Hibiscus             rosa-sinensis designated as code number YB-1657, not             patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Hibiscus             rosa-sinensis designated as code number YB-1589, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at temperatures of 24°             C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About four weeks at temperatures of             24° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Somewhat freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial, evergreen, upright,             outwardly spreading, uniform, dense and symmetrical plant             habit; inverted triangle. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, usually about three or             four lateral branches develop after removal of terminal             apex.         -   Plant height.—About 32 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 39 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 28 cm. Diameter:             About 5 mm. Internode length: About 3.2 cm. Strength:             Strong, but flexible. Texture: Immature, pubescent; mature,             woody and rough. Color: Immature: Close to 147A. Mature:             Close to 195A to 197A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single;             numerous; symmetrical. Length: About 8.4 cm. Width: About             6.25 cm. Shape: Oak-leaf shape; palmately lobed. Apex:             Acute; typically reflexed. Base: Cordate. Margin: Palmately             lobed; serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth to             sparsely pubescent; rough; leathery. Luster, upper surface:             Glossy. Luster, lower surface: Somewhat glossy. Venation             pattern: Palmate. Color: Developing and fully expanded             foliage, upper surface: More green than 147A. Developing and             fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 147A.             Venation, upper surface: 147A to darker green than 147A.             Venation, lower surface: Close to 147A to darker green than             146A. Petiole: Length: About 4.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             surface: 147A overlain with close to 187A. Color, lower             surface: Close to 146A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Flowers arranged singly at terminal leaf             axils. Freely flowering with usually about four flower buds             and/or open flowers per terminal apex. Flowers face upright             to outwardly.         -   Flower appearance.—Rounded, white and pink bi-colored             flowers with dark red-colored centers. Flowers are open for             about one to two days. Flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Usually spring and summer or             during periods of warm weather.         -   Flower bud (before stage of showing color).—Resistance to             abscission during shipping: Plants of the new Hibiscus have             been observed to resist flower bud drop when stored in a             closed box for 5 days at 13° C. Length: About 3.1 cm.             Diameter: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Flower diameter.—About 12.75 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 8.7 cm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Corolla consists of five petals that             are fused at base; petals imbricate. Length: About 8.25 cm.             Width: About 5.5 cm. Shape: Roughly obovate to spatulate.             Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; somewhat             ruffled. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous, satiny; center, waxy. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Towards the margins, close to             155D; towards the center, closer to 55A; center, close to             46A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to             155D.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Five sepals fused into a tubular             star-shaped calyx. Length: About 3.1 cm. Width: About 1 cm.             Shape: Oblong. Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper surface: Smooth; waxy. Texture, lower surface:             Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 146B.             Color, lower surface: Close to 146A.         -   Flower bracts.—Appearance: About six fused at base. Length:             About 2.4 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:             Sharply acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Sparsely             pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower             surface: Darker green than 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Angle: Straight to slightly bent. Strength: Strong,             flexible. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Numerous,             about 50. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close             to 155D. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther size: About 2 mm by             1.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 155D. Amount of pollen:             Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 15A. Gynoecium: Pistil             length: About 8.7 cm. Style length: About 7.3 cm. Style             texture: Smooth, waxy. Style color: Close to 155D; towards             the base, close to 53A to 46A. Stigma appearance: Five,             rounded. Stigma color: Close to 17A. Ovary color: Close to             154C.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from 0 to 38° C. -   Disease/pest tolerance: Plants of the new Hibiscus grown under     Florida production conditions have shown to be relatively tolerant     to pathogens common to Hibiscus such as Pseudomonas, Pythium and     Phytophthora. Plants of the new Hibiscus have not been observed to     be tolerant to pests and other pathogens. 

1. A new and distinct Hibiscus plant named ‘YOHIB 2136’, as illustrated and described. 